Contents

Introduction

There have always been business records but the challenge to genealogists is that they are seldom identified as genealogical records. Governments from the earliest times have issued permits and licenses to allow businesses to operate. Also from the earliest times there have guilds and trade unions governing the activities of their members and keeping records. Many businesses have also produced biographical collections of the company's officers and employees. In the Unites States publicly owned companies often produce an annual report in printed form. Cities have produced city directories listing all of the businesses in the city and included, in many cases, all of the residents. It is also important not to overlook advertisement which may contain information about the owners or operators of a business.

Many of these business records have been preserved in various libraries and other record repositories.

Some commonly available business records include or are included in the following:

Mortuary records

Farming and agricultural records

Insurance records

Newspapers

Union records

Mining records

Business formation records

Churches

Railroads

Shipping and other transportation records

Business licenses and bonds

Professional licenses

Medical and Dental office records

Photography businesses

Business and other types of directories

There are many more possible categories which can be suggested by studying the types of records that may have been created in the course of the business operation.

All of the larger online genealogical record databases contain some business records. Some of these online sources are available only by subscription but check with your local FamilySearch Center to see if these online sources are available to patrons for free. Here are some online sources that contain business records: